Serial No.: 10/713,277 Office Action Filed: 07//13/04
Reply to July 12,2004
Amendments to the Specification:
Please amend the specification as follows:
Page 9, please amend the paragraph beginning at line 6 as
follows :
Figure 7 illustrates an apparatus of a second preferred
embodiment of the invention, in use. In this embodiment, the
ablating apparatus 13 is a mechanical ablation apparatus
comprising single or multiple sharp microtome blades 4 0 mounted
on piezo-electric pressure transducers 34, for feedback control
of pressure applied and therefore depth incised (along the z-
axis, as described below). The pressure transducer (s) 34 are in
turn mounted on a MEMS (micro-electro-mechanical system)
33 to control the length and direction of incision (along the x
and y axes) . The ablating controller 14, in response to signals
from the survey controller 12, thus controls the movement of the
blade (s) 40 in three dimensions (x, y and z directions) to
perform appropriate ablation (cutting) .
Page 9, please amend the paragraph beginning at line 17, as
follows :
Page 4 of 14
Serial No.: 10/713,277 Office Action Filed: 07//13/04
Reply to July 12,2004
In particular, as shown in Figure 7, a pressure feedback
analyser 35 is responsive to the pressure transducers 34 and
provides data to a depth controller 36. The OCT system 20 and
image analyser and feedback analyser 22 (which correspond to the
same parts of the embodiment of Figure 6) provide data to an x-y
movement planner 37. The data from the x-y movement planner 37
and the depth controller 36 are provided to a movement integrator
38 which controls a mechanical arm control system 39 of the
ablating apparatus 14. The movement of the blade (s) 40 is
thereby accurately^ controlled in three dimensions.
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